Apple Watch Is Ready for Its Close-Up

The Apple Watch has been making headlines for months. But the March issue of Self marks its first U.S. magazine cover appearance, on the arm of supermodel Candice Swanepoel.

Despite reports that Apple Watch will lack advanced health-tracking features, Self talked up the fitness components of Cupertino's device.

"Aside from all the overall productivity the device offers, we're zeroing in on the health aspects: Using an accelerometer, a built-in heart rate sensor, GPS, and Wi-Fi from your iPhone to provide a comprehensive picture of your daily activity," the magazine said.

Still, according to a recent report, the device, due in April, does not include the ability to measure blood pressure or stress levels, among other popular features.

The watch's Activity app, however, does provide a graphic of your daily activity: how many calories you've burned, how many minutes of brisk activity you've done, and how often you've stood up from sitting. It also serves as a personal trainer, with customizable coaching options.

And despite CEO Tim Cook's claims that he uses the watch "every day" and "can't live without it," customers shouldn't expect a full 24 hours' worth of wrist-based enjoyment. The device will likely provide up to 3.5 hours of app use between charges. That number falls to 2.5 hours with constant use.

Still, Cupertino appears to be positive about sales: Apple reportedly ordered 5 to 6 million units from suppliers in the first quarter. Half of those will be entry-level Sport models (like the one Swanepoel is wearing), while one-third is earmarked for the mid-tier version.

The rest will presumably be fitted into an 18-karat-gold casing for the Edition watch.

The Apple Watch made its international debut on the cover of Vogue China last year.

For more, see PCMag's Hands On With the Apple Watch and the slideshow above.